Leadership in the Imagination Age

S M A Moin is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Storytelling and Brand Communications at Queen Mary University of London, UK, ranked 9th globally and in the top 0.5% in the areas of storytelling research in 2024 by ScholarGPS, California.

“Leadership in the Imagination Age is a beautifully structured, and very timely contribution that stimulates learning, reflection, and dialogue. Each chapter balances conceptual clarity with inner awareness, making it ideally suited for leadership development programmes, classrooms, and executive education. This is not merely another leadership textbook; it stands out as a call to readers to reclaim imagination from spectacle, ethics and morality from compliance, and leadership from ego. For educators and leaders who believe leadership must evolve to meet the moral and existential challenges of our time, this book is essential reading.” Professor Tony Michael, Associate Dean (Education), School of Business and Management, Queen Mary University of London “Leadership in the Imagination Age reaches beyond conventional leadership to place humanity at the helm. Its vision of Cosmic Leadership reframes leaders as stewards within a larger moral and planetary order - inviting humility, responsibility, and care as the true sources of enduring influence in an age of unprecedented power.” Rear Admiral Khandakar Akhter Hossain, NBP, NUP, ndc, psc, PhD, Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Maritime University (BMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh “Leadership in the Imagination Age is a timely intervention in leadership thought. Moving beyond strategy and tools, this book reminds us that the future is shaped not only by what leaders can do, but by who they choose to be. It is both a map and a moral compass for navigating an age of unprecedented possibility. Drawing from leadership theory, ethics, systems thinking, and cosmic thinking, it reframes leadership as a deeply human, relational, and moral practice.” Professor Georgios Kavetsos, Professor of Behavioural Economics and Public Policy “Leadership in the Imagination Age is a timely counterbalance to leadership in a world shaped by speed, automation, and algorithmic decision-making. The concept of the Moral Gyroscope is especially distinctive, highlighting how ethics, values, and character must anchor leaders when data, incentives, and AI systems can easily distort judgement. As AI increases both reach and risk, this book makes a compelling case that moral orientation is not a ‘nice to have’, but the foundation of responsible leadership.” Professor Xue Zhou, Professor in AI in Business Education; Dean of AI, College of Business, University of Leicester, UK “At a time when technology is racing ahead of moral reflection, Leadership in the Imagination Age asks the questions that too many leaders avoid. Its concepts of the Leadership Compass and Moral Gyroscope are particularly powerful, offering a practical way to remain ethically grounded under pressure. This book does not merely inform – it holds leaders accountable by demanding disciplined imagination and emotional intelligence to survive and thrive amid the turbulence of the Imagination Age.” Professor Ishani Chandrasekara Mudiyanselage, Professor of Accounting Education, Associate Dean (External and Partner Engagement), School of Business and Management, Queen Mary University of London, UK

• Before the Voyage Begins: A Letter from the Author to the Readers 1. Entering the Imagination Age: Reimagining Possibility and Responsibility 2. Purpose: Orienting Toward the Leader’s True North 3. People: Leading with Humanity, Imagination, and Emotional Intelligence 4. Performance: Building a Culture of Excellence 5. Possibility: Envisioning the Futures 6. Storytelling as the Needle: The Secret Language of Leadership 7. The Moral Gyroscope: Maintaining Stability through Ethics, Values, and Character 8. The Leadership Manifesto: Reclaiming Freedom, Presence, and Power in the Imagination Age 9. Cosmic Leadership: Synchronising with the Rhythm of the Universe 10. Humanity at the Helm: When Leadership Becomes a Symphony for All Epilogue: Holding the Future Steady